Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-24
GETTYSBURG AGAIN.
THE srArP.orFICERs WHO RODE INTO
THE BATTLE.
G,nsral Richard Gsrnstt's Gallant Bear
ing-savs Your Wind for the
Final Charge.
RICHMOND. Va, July q. 1881
To the EditOr of the Dispatch:

RICHMOND, VA, july q, looi'
To the Editor Of the dispatch:
In the Dispatch of Sunday, 18th
instant. Colonel Wertenbaker, after
relating how Captain Fry, Of General
Komper's staff, rode CALAMITY up to the
stone wall at the foot of Cemetery Hill.
adds that "Major Hale, of New
Hampshire, who saw the charge, says
he saw mot less than frc moUnted
o6ic(rs miM Pjckcffs line as it od-
rGnccd. but none of them lived to
reach the stone wall, and Colonel
Wertenbaket wants to know how
many officers and couriers went into
Pickett's charge moUHfcd.
have just received letter from
Captain Il. A. Bright on this subject,
in which he says: "No couriers were
taken into the charge. Those Of Gene
raj Pickett's staff who rode into the
Gettysburg charge with him were Ma
ior Charles Pickett, Captain T.. Il.
Baird, Captain W. Stuart SyminSton,
and myself. Colonel Lewis i. vii
lisms. OF the First Virginia regiment,
who was sick at the time, was also
mounted
General Garnett, who had been
kicked on the ankle few days before
bv horse, also rode into battle and
was killed ut the Emmetsburg road.
So there were eight mounted officers
at least with Pickett's three Virginia
brigadcs alone, without counting, If
there were any, mounted officers with
The Tennessee, Alabama, and North
Carolina troops who were in the charge
under Pickett's command.
While upon this subject it is well to
notice that Colonel f. p. Alexander,
in the January GS80 No. Of the C.e-
hury Ndgo-iHc, says "General Dick
Garnett, just out of the sick ambulance
and buttoned up in an old blue over
coat, riding at the head of his brigade,
passed us and saluted Longstreet.
Garnet was warm, personal friend,
and we had not met before for months.
| rode with him short distance. and
then We wished each other luck and
goodbye, which was our last. -
Now, as General Garnett was not
sick, but only suffering from sore
ankle, and rs it was the ID day OF July
and extremely hot weather, he was not
likely to wrap up in an old blue over
coat without a reason. lie wore blue
overcoat in cold weather, and, as he
always campcd in the open fields or
woods with his men and shared in all
their hardships, he usually carried n
blanket, an oil-cloth, and his overcoat
in roll strapped behind his saddle,
hut there was 10 necessity for his wear
ing his ovcrcoat at Gettysburg, a. he
had neat new uniform Of gray cloth,
which he had procured only u short
time before.
General Garctt was about thirty-fyo
years old, finely formed, weighed about
$50 or 100 pounds, and Was physically
one Of the most mu.cular men i'm his
brigade. lie wa strict li,rip'ingr!au,
Win a uli,foIm, calm, q1iat manner,
and without any excitement or buster
IN the performance Of his duties. lie
was easy to approach by those VINO hJl
iayors T. ask or complaints to malp:
always listened patiently - all tn do-
tails If each case, txamipc1 carefully
into all the particulars, and then d.
cidcd firmly and impartially. lie re-
CURED a runctuJi and literal obedience
to all Orders, hut Was never harsh or
cruel in Lis punishmcnts. He WIS cool
and deliberately daring in battle; al
ways on the front line in tn thi.hcst Of
the fight, and his men often thoushthe
unnecessarily exposed himself t. dan
ger, as he did in The battle at Boones-
boro. and also at SAarp5burS a few
days later.
After the promotion Of General
Pickett Garnet was given the COM
mand OF the old brigade, which he
held about a year before his death, AMI
bad cndearcd himself to tn men until
they not only respected him highly,
but = great number really loved him.
and erieycd over his death rs that OF
brother or father
IN the charge At Gettysburg, as We
the Emmettsourg road
under a perfect storm of shot and shell
from the cuemy's batteries on Gene
tny Heights, the last words / heard
from General Garnet were: Close
up men and step ont faster and as
some Of the men begun to doublr-quick
he added Don't doublc-quick. Save
Your wind and your ammunition for the
final charge" ia then role down to
tie left OF the line AMI I saw him no
more. Colonel Edmund Berkeley, Of
the Eighth Virginia, info med Inc re-
Gently that Just before We reached the
Emmettsburg road staf-ofiiccr gall
lopcd up to General Garnet with an
order to drcss liz command to the MI,
and Garnet said " YOu lad better
carry tie same order to kempcr' Gen
eral Fry, who commanded Archor's bri-
gadc, next to Garnett on the Left, says
As We approached the Emmettsburg
road | Leard Garrett giving some COM
mands which ! could not understand in
tic great noise of battle, and obserV-
Ing my look oil inquiry, be slid | am
trying to dress my brigade upon your
command. and soon after this Garnet
was killed" Colonel Swallow says:
"Just here at this point the brave Gen
,ral GArnett, Of Virginia, rode along
his hDe covered with blood, with his
bead bowed almost to hi. horses mock
IN moment the General and his horse
fell to the ground ridiled with ballet,
III al parts Of their bodies" Captain
Sintht cum, who was upon General
Garnett's staff and with him at the
time, informed me that he was killed
10y = musket-ball through the head.
his body WAS not recovered, but was
lett upon the field, WAS not recognized
by the enemy, and he was buried among
the unknown dead but no Drawer,
truer man ever lived or died for his
country than General Richard b.
Garnet. II ~ OWr,,